Organic Dark Chocolate
Feb 22, 2009 by michelle
“I’ll have the chocolate stampede please”. Should we Surrender to the Sweet Temptation of Dark Chocolate?
Recently, several studies have found that eating dark chocolate in moderation is actually beneficial to your heart and circulation. These benefits are from the flavonoids and antioxidants that are naturally present in the cacao beans used to make all chocolate products. Cacao products have much greater antioxidant capacity and more flavonoids per serving than do tea, red wine, fruits, berries and vegetables. And dark chocolate has a higher percentage of cacao than milk chocolate, therefore, more antioxidants. A recent study published in International Journal of Cardiology showed that regularly eating flavonoid-rich dark chocolate significantly improved blood flow to the heart in healthy adults, whereas non-flavonoid white chocolate had no such effects1. Cacao flavonoids have also been reported to have other specific protective effects for the heart, like increasing the good cholesterol (HDL) levels, anti-inflammatory properties2, and protecting against plaque formation in the blood vessels- thereby protecting you from getting a heart attack3. The serving size of dark chocolate used in this study is 6.7g a day. This is very important as we all know that dark chocolate is very calorie rich and can be high in fat. You should look for dark chocolate that has at least 65% cacao, and make sure that it is not made with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, which can offset the beneficial effects of the flavonoids in the dark chocolate.
Also note that many commercially produced chocolate contain additives and other synthetic chemicals that are not desirable for your body. Therefore, organic dark chocolate, made with organic ingredients, is a healthier alternative. Even the milk powder that is used to make organic chocolate has to be hormone-free to get the organic certification. And, this is an earth-friendly option, as organic cacao is cultivated in an environmentally sound method of farming, which help to maintain the eco-diversity and protect the habitat for many tropical wild animals and birds. One more reason to indulge in the sweet temptation :)
So in summary, eating dark chocolate,preferably organic in moderation (~7g per day) can be beneficial to your health as long as you enjoy it as part of a balanced diet. And there is no benefit if you eat milk or white chocolate instead. So stick with the dark chocolate for you and your loved ones’ heart health.
Reference:
- Acute effect of oral flavonoid-rich dark chocolate intake on coronary circulation, as compared with non-flavonoid white chocolate, by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography in healthy adults International Journal of Cardiology
Volume 131, Issue 3, 24 January 2009, Pages 424-429 - Regular consumption of dark chocolate is associated with low serum concentrations of c-reactive protein in a healthy Italian population.(Author abstract)(Clinical report).Romina di Giuseppe, Augusto Di Castelnuovo, Floriana Centritto, Francesco Zito, Amalia De Curtis, Simona Costanzo, Branislav Vohnout, Sabina Sieri, Vittorio Krogh, Maria Benedetta Donati, Giovanni de Gaetano and Licia Iacoviello. The Journal of Nutrition 138.10 (Oct 2008): p1939(7).
- Effects of Low Habitual Cocoa Intake on Blood Pressure and Bioactive Nitric Oxide: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Dirk Taubert; Renate Roesen; Clara Lehmann; Norma Jung; Edgar Schömig. JAMA, July 4, 2007; 298: 49 - 60.
Permalink:Organic Dark Chocolate | Posted under:gift certificates,chocolates | Tags:dark chocolate,organic dark chocolate bars,organic dark chocolate,organic chocolate | 1 Comments
Visitor Comments
Feb 22, 2009